Electrical connector



Dec. 22, 1964 F. w. WAHL 3,162,501

' ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Jan. 21, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

1964 F. w. WAHL 3,162,501-

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Jan. 21, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent 3,162,561 ELECTRICAL CONNECTGR Frederick W. Wahl, Hnmmeistown, Pa, assignor to AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa. Filed Jan. 21, 1960, Ser. No. 3,773 Claims. (Cl. 339--S) This invention relates to the art of making electrical connections. In making such a connection to an insulated wire, it is necessary to strip the insulation from at least a portion of the wire before making the connection. The present invention contemplates a connector that will pierce the insulation and make the connection as the wire is fed into the connector. The basic concept involves a pair of V-shaped spring members which form a part of the connector. As the insulated wire is fed downwardly through the vertex of the V (in a lateral direction), the members are forced apart and act as knife blades to cut through the insulation. The resilience of the members causes them to bind the conductor, thus making a firm electrical connection. The V-shaped members are disposed in opposite directions so that any attempt to pullthe wire out of the connection results in making a tighter connection.

Other objects and attainments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of the invention; it is to be understood, however, that this embodiment is not intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention but is given for purposes of illustration in order that others skilled in the art may fully understand the invention and the principles thereof and the manner of applying it in practical use so that they may modify it in various forms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of a particular use.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 illustrates a perspective View of an electrical terminal having a wire fed in one end with a view of the terminal engaging means shown in phantom;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view taken along plane Z2 of FIGURE 5, illustrating the connector before the conductor is inserted therein;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 taken after the conductor is inserted into the connector, as shown through lines 3-3 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken through plane 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken through plane 55 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective exploded view of an embodiment of the device shown in FIGURE 1, wherein an assembly block is used for securing a plurality of in sulated conductors in electrical conductor relationship;

FIGURE 7 is a plan sectional view of the device shown in FIGURE 6 with the conductor inserted into the assembly;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the device shown in FIGURE 6 illustrated in assembled relationship; and

FIGURE 9 is a view taken along lines 9-9 of FIG- URE 8.

The device, as shown in FIGURE 1, is designed to accommodate a conductor 10 covered by insulation material 12. The connector includes a U-shaped body member 14. The particular form illustrated in FIGURE 1 has a ring tongue 16 at one end thereof for connection to an electrical post. The body member 14 and the ring tongue 16 are made of electrical conductive material and may be stamped out of sheet metal and formed to constitute an integral piece.

As shown in FIGURE 1, a pair of tabs 18 and 20 are struck inwardly from one surface of the U-shaped body 3,162,501 Patented Dec. 22, I964 member. A corresponding pair of tabs 22 and 24 are also struck inwardly from the opposite side of the U- shaped body member.

The inwardly disposed tabs 18 and 22 form a converging V-shaped member (see FIGURE 2). Tabs 20 and 24 also form a V-shaped member converging in the opposite direction. Corresponding tabs meet at their inner ends but are sufficiently resilient so that they may be sprung apart upon the insertion of a wire from the top of the assembly 14.

FIGURE 1 also illustrates a block which may be referred to as a stumper, and is utilized to drive the con ductor between the tabs. The lower edges of the tabs are parallel and the upper edges converge toward their central portion so that the converging edges (note 30 and 32 of FIGURE 5) operate as a guide means for guiding the electrical conductor between the tabs during the connecting operation.

In assembling the connector, a length of one end of the conductor is disposed above the U-shaped portion of the assembly member 14 coextensively with the member. The stumper 26 bears upon the conductor 10 and forces it downwardly into the U-shaped assembly 14. The edges of the tab guide the conductor downwardly between the V-shaped tabs. This action causes the inner edges of the tabs to spring open and simultaneously slice through the insulation 12, as well as any oxide or coating, on the con ductor. In final position, as shown in FIGURE 3, the conductor 10 is wedged between the tabs 18, 22 at one end, and 20, 24 at the other end. The springlike resiliency of the tabs causes them to bite inwardly to grip the wire and form a secure electrical connection. Any attempt to withdraw the conductor longitudinally causes the tabs in the direction of withdrawal to be more securely connected to the conductor since the tabs bind the insulation. The stumper may be secured in place by any obvious means to prevent lateral withdrawal of the wire. Also, the connection may be encased in plastic for insulation purposes after the connection is made.

' The embodiment shown in FIGURES 69 is adapted to connect a plurality of wires of various sizes. This embodiment includes the assembly block 40 constructed of insulating material. The preferred form of this block is generally rectangular, hollow at one end and solid at the other. The solid end of the block has a plurality of apertures (three in number are shown) designated 42, 44 and 46. The hollow end is open on one side to receive a shell-like cover member 48 having sides 50, 52 and 53 which fit down into the assembly member 40. These sides fit into the assembly member with a friction fit so that the cover 48 is held in place by the friction engagement of the sides with the inside of the hollow member. The forward end of the cover 48 has a depending flange 54 with half-round apertures 56, S8 and 60, corresponding to the apertures 42, 44 and 46 respectively. A plurality of connector units 62, 64 and 66 fit within the cover, corresponding to the number of wires to be joined.

As shown in FIGURE 6, a block having three apertures in the assembly includes three connecting units 62, 64 and 66 within the cover. Each of these connectors (14) is of the same design and construction as the connector member shown in FIGURE 1 and will not be separately de scribed. They each have inward tab members similar to FIGURE 1 to accomodate each of the wires shown in FIGURE 6. These connectors may be stamped out of a single sheet of metal and formed into a three-wire connector, or secured together in any known means, such as friction fit within the cover 48.

A plurality of block-like members 68 protrude from the inside of the hollow shell of the member 40 to support the wires. These blocks are disposed so that they project in the areas adjacent the tabs, while leaving the In connecting the wires shown in FIGURE 6, the wires are inserted into the apertures 42, 44, 46 to a distance wherein they are supported by all of the blocks. The

cover member 48 is pushed downwardly driving the con-' nectors 62, 64, 66 ahead of it. Each of the connectors straddles one ofthe conductors. Downward motion of the connectors relative to the conductors causes the tabs to pierce the insulation on the respective conductors, thus making the connection similar to the tab :shown in FIG- URE 1. The shell 48 continues to move downwardly so that it is inserted within the open, hollow end of the assembly. It wedges into this assembly by friction fit be tween the sides of the cover 50, 52, 53 and hollow block. The resultant is a firm connection of the three conductors, as shown in FIGURE 8, that does not require pre-stripping of the insulation on the conductors. Also, the conductors cannot be withdrawn from the connection by a longitudinal pull because of the shape of the tabs, as noted above. Changes in construction will occur to those skilled in the art and various apparently different modifications and embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the'invention. The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only. The actual scope of the invention is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective against the prior art. I

.Iclairn: 1. An electrical connector adapted to 'be secured to an insulated conductor comprising: a U-shaped body member having parallel sidewalls connected by a bottom porconverging toward one end of the U-shaped member and the other set of tabs converging toward the other end of the U-shaped member, whereby an insulated conductor can be inserted into the U-shaped member between. the

tabs so that the tabs slice the insulation on the conductor to make an electrical connection.

2. An electrical connector for connecting pre-insulated wires'including a U-shaped metallic member having a connecting means at one end thereof, a pair of resilient .45 axis of said U-shaped body member, with one set of tabs tabs projecting inwardly from the-sides of the U-shaped metallic member and convergingrtoward the connecting means, the inner ends of saidtabs being in close proximity to each other, the upper edges of said tabs sloping downwardly, whereby a pre-insulated conductor may be driven downwardly betweenthe inner ends of the tabs to pierce the insulation and engage the conductor.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein four such tabs project I from the sides of the connector, one pair being ina relationship converging toward the connecting means and the other pair converging in a direction away from the connecting means.

4. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein the connecting means comprises at least one additional set of said tabs in electrically conductive relationship with said first set of tabs. a

5. A device as set forth in claim 2 including a plurality of said connectors secured together in electrically conductive relationship.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Currier Feb..22, 1921 1,608,578 Buchenberg Nov. 30, 1926 1,706,005 Thompson Mar. 19, 1929 1,948,309 Neumann i. Feb. 20, 1934 2,200,812 Ward May 14, 1940 2,291,434 Hollopeter. et a1 July 28, 1942 2,603,679 Pavlinetz July 15, 1952 2,700,142 Benander Jan. 18, 1955 2,719,957 Abbott Oct. 4, 1955 3,004,370 Tinnerman Oct. 17, 1961 3,060,402 .Olsson et a1 i Oct. 23, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 755,651 Great Britain -1- "Aug. 22, 1956 

1. AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO AN INSULATED CONDUCTOR COMPRISING: A U-SHAPED BODY MEMBER HAVING PARALLEL SIDEWALLS CONNECTED BY A BOTTOM PORTION, A PLURALITY OF TABS PROJECTING INWARDLY FROM SAID SIDEWALLS, SAID TABS HAVING BOTTOM EDGES WHICH ARE PARALLEL AND TOP EDGES WHICH ARE DISPOSED AT AN ANGLE TO SAID BOTTOM EDGES, SAID TABS CONVERGING INWARDLY TOWARD THE AXIS OF SAID U-SHAPED BODY MEMBER, WITH ONE SET OF TABS CONVERGING TOWARD ONE END OF THE U-SHAPED MEMBER AND THE OTHER SET OF TABS CONVERGING TOWARD THE OTHER END OF THE U-SHAPED MEMBER, WHEREBY AN INSULATED CONDUCTOR CAN BE INSERTED INTO THE U-SHAPED MEMBER BETWEEN THE TABS SO THAT THE TABS SLICE THE INSULATION ON THE CONDUCTOR TO MAKE AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTION. 